Cortland State rolls past Western Connecticut, 72-14

CORTLAND, NY (Sep. 15) —
– Senior tailback Dorian Myles (Lackawanna/Hamburg) rushed for 161 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries and caught five passes for 94 yards and a score as Cortland opened its New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) schedule with a 72-14 victory over visiting Western Connecticut State.

The Red Dragons (1-1, 1-0 NJAC) finished one point shy of tying the school single-game scoring record of 73 points, set in both 1969 vs. Brockport and 1999 vs. New Jersey City. Cortland has now reached the 70-point plateau four times in school history (71 vs. Morrisville St. in 2007 and the two 73-point games).

Cortland held Western on its opening drive, then moved 65 yards on seven plays for the game’s first touchdown – a Greene run from two yards out. A fumbled snap on a punt during Western’s next possession gave Cortland the ball at the 3-yard line, and two plays later junior Justin Autera (Mahopac) ran in from one yard to put Cortland up 14-0 just 5:12 into the game.

The Red Dragons extended the lead to 21-0 early in the second quarter when Myles took a screen pass and raced 66 yards for a score. The Colonials answered just 52 seconds later when Highsmith caught a short pass, spun to avoid a tackle and raced down the right sideline for a 59-yard touchdown.

Cortland pushed its lead to 28-7 with 3:12 left in the half on a 75-yard burst up the middle by Myles. The Red Dragons took the opening kickoff of the second half and drove 58 yards on five plays, capped by a Myles 16-yard touchdown run, and led 34-7 after a missed extra point.

Western marched 85 yards on its next possession for its second touchdown. McKoy finished the drive with a 1-yard scoring run. Cortland junior Mike DeBole (Webster/Webster Schroeder) made a 22-yard field goal with 4:28 left in the third and led 37-14 after three quarters.

The Red Dragons outscored the Colonials 35-0 in the fourth quarter. Rose ran for a 28-yard score with 12:58 left, and Cortland recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff at the Western 21-yard line. Two plays later, sophomore Tyler Augliano (Watertown) threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end Rob Von Bargen (Massapequa). The score came on Augliano’s first collegiate varsity pass, and was also Von Bargen’s first collegiate touchdown.

McCarthy’s 39-yard interception return to the Western 11-yard line set up the next score, a Greene 7-yard run with 9:54 left. Greene also capped a 25-yard scoring drive with a 1-yard run at the 6:44 mark, and sophomore Matt Deiana (Somers) finished the scoring with a 7-yard run – his first collegiate touchdown – with 1:50 left.

Cortland will travel to Morrisville State next Saturday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m. and Western Connecticut will host Rowan Saturday at 12 p.m., both in NJAC matchups.